The Forest
by kayleighjo312
Summary: Draco bumps into Hermione in the forest, quite literally. A series of interconnecting drabbles that tell my story of Hermione and Draco. Disclaimer; JK Rowling owns all rights to the Harry Potter world
1. Chapter 1

Out of breath, She came to a stop. Slumping against the tree behind her, Hermione slid to the ground, letting the exhaustion take over. She did not care that the forest floor was muddy or cold, she just needed to be alone.

Ron had been a massive arse once again, did he not know that he was humiliating her? Hurting her? Maybe that was his intention. Her blood began to boil again as she thought of him. "Ginger haired weasel" she sneered to herself.

She wiped away her tears, smiling, as she remembered the look of his idiotic face as she'd told him to "Sod off".

After letting out a final few sobs and hiccoughs Hermione began to regain some composure.

"This place is beautiful" She thought as she took in her surroundings. The frost was glittering in the moons rays as the wind howled in amongst the naked trees. It calmed her. Slowly she stood up and began to brush down her robes.

Something startled her, looking around she found nothing in sight.

She heard it again. A rustling amongst the foliage and then footsteps running towards her. Fear washed over her, everything is this forest was so unknown, she had no idea what creatures dwelled here. Paralyzed, she could not run. The footsteps were moving closer at an alarming speed. Frozen, unable to move, Hermione closed her eyes and braced for attack.

Closer and closer they came.

Then something came crashing into her and they both tumbled to the floor.

She let out a scream.

"What the-" she cried. Whoever had pushed her over was now pulling her to her feet, it took a moment for the perpetrator to come into view.

As she realised who her attacker was, she groaned.

"Eurgh, Malfoy"

"What the hell are you doing out here Granger?" The tall blonde boy replied.

"What the hell am I doing? You're the one who attacked me!" She yelled indignantly.

Draco laughed "I didn't attack you, I just didn't see you."

Her hand was still in his, she tried to yank it free but he held his grasp firm.

He gazed deep into her eyes. Her hair was frazzled, her face tear stained, yet she was still beautiful.

"You're freezing" Draco said, breaking the silence as he removed his emerald green scarf. He wrapped it around her neck as she gaped at him. His fingers grazed her neck, sending a volt of electricity through her body. She let out a small yelp of shock.

Looking deep into his eyes, Hermione felt as if she could read Draco's soul. He looked so sad and scared. She felt an overwhelming urge to take him her arms and take away his pain.

Her tears began to flow once more, already in an overly emotional state,she could not stand his pain as well as hers.

Draco could not understand her reaction, he had tried to be nice and now she was stood here bawling her eyes out.

"I'm sorry" she cried "Thank you."

He did not know what came over him, whether it was seeing her in pain or his impending death. Maybe he had just gone insane. He grasped her face in his strong, forceful hands and kissed her passionately. They both lingered for several seconds not wanting it to end.

Draco finally pulled away as he heard angry voices shouting in the distance.

He gazed deeply into her eyes, trying to convey exactly what he wanted to say to her but couldn't.

"I have to go" he whispered

"Draco, what's going on?" She asked desperately

Draco looked back towards Hogwarts castle and shook his head.

"Please remember me like this." Draco leant in to kiss her tear stained cheek, he stared into her questioning eyes for a few moments longer and then broke away.

Not looking back, he ran for his life.

Hermione stood completely still, utterly bewildered.

After a few moments she saw a few more bodies run past but none turned to look at her.

What was going on? she thought.

"Hermione" a familiar voice screamed at her.

"Harry, what's going on?" She asked, his eyes searching the grounds wildly.

"Have you seen anyone come past here?" He asked, his face the picture of a mad man.

"Harry what's going on?"

"Dumbledores dead!" He shouted "Draco cornered him"

Hermione was in shock "Draco killed Dumbledore?" She stuttered.

"No, Snape did his dirty work for him, but he wanted to. What have I been telling you all year, Draco is a death eater. He bought about Dumbledores death and now I am going to kill him" Harry spat.

"Harry" she begged him, not quite knowing what to say.

"Have you seen them, Hermione?" He shouted angrily at her.

Wiping a tear away she looked at her best friend. "No, I haven't seen anything."


	2. Chapter 2

Sitting in a plush armchair with a glass of firewhiskey, he was watching.

The flames were enticing as they danced, lighting up the fireplace.

"If only I weren't a coward, I could end this misery now if I jumped in."

Suicidal thoughts.

Being holed up in this hell would drive anyone to madness. How stupid had he been. He had longed for this since the day he'd learnt of "his" return.

"Ha"

He hadn't exactly known what he was signing up for. He thought he'd gain honor and glory. Instead he lived through torture and humiliation. He suffered unimaginable pain day upon day, to the pleasure of his so-called comrades. He was the laughing stock. Son of a failure! And it was him who was suffering for his fathers misgivings.

Rising from his armchair, he caught his reflection in the mirror. He was unrecognizable, even to himself. Every inch of his exposed flesh bore a welt, mark or cut. Dried blood stained his swollen lip.

He had aged considerably, no longer looking like the fresh faced seventeen year old he really was.

And he'd signed up for this?

Raised voices downstairs broke his thoughts. His aunt was calling.

"Draco"

He hated her almost as much as he hated "Him". She was pure evil, a deranged psychopath. Her only desire was bloodshed. How he hated them all. His father included.

"Draco" she cried with a little more urgency.

He wasn't going to answer her, he couldn't care less what she wanted, he wanted nothing but this solitude.

A knock on his door startled him, he ignored it but whoever was on the other side persisted. Suddenly the heavy oak door swung open.

Wormtail stood there, glaring at him.

"Madame lestrange wants you" he sneered.

"So?" Draco spat.

"Now, boy!"

So it had come to this, he thought, even Wormtail was his superior.

Relenting, he left. Worm tail hot on is heels.

He was unprepared for what greeted him in the foyer.

He couldn't believe his eyes, there she stood in his house, looking extremely filthy and thin. She still took his breath away.

Oh shit.

He hadn't seen her in months, since that night in the forest. He had thought about her every day since. Imagined what he would say, how they would meet again. He hadn't imagined it being like this.

He had to do something.

"Oh Draco here you are" Bellatrix called him to her "now take a good look Draco, do you recognise any of these three"

Draco only now took in the other two prisoners. Despite their altered features, He immediately knew whom he was facing.

"We believe this is Potter! Don't you agree" his father chimed in.

"I'll handle this Lucius" Bellatrix spat at him "Well Draco"

"This is my house Bellatrix" Lucius yelled indignantly

But Bellatrix's eyes were still focused on Draco.

"Err" what could he say? He needed to buy some time, to think of a plan.

"I can't be sure" he said finally.

"Well, look at her then, this is that Granger girl, the know it all"

He hadn't taken his eyes of her.

"I can't be sure"

"Think Draco" his father grasped his arm "Think of the favor we could gain by handing him potter"

"I don't know" he shouted, staring at Hermione again, she was staring back, silently thanking him.

"I've had enough of this" Lucius walked forward and pushed Harry's mop of black hair from his forehead.

"The Scar" he hissed, licking his lips. He lifted his sleeve and raised a finger to call upon his master.

"Stop, Don't" Bellatrix cried but it was too late, she felt it in her own mark.

"You do not know what you have done." Turning her attentions away from Lucius and towards worm tail she said "Take those two down to the dungeons, she's coming with me." A smile crept upon her face. Dracos stomach needed to take action now.

"I'll take them." Draco offered, almost pleadingly.

"No, you, can finally see how we carry out interrogations." She replied in her silky, sickly voice.

Bile burned at the back of Draco's throat, there was no telling what his aunt would do to Hermione.

The woman he loved was going to die and he would be forced to watch.

"Come, Draco" Bellatrix drawled.

Dragging Hermione by her hair, Bellatox led Draco into the living room. Theroom had been long abandoned for living, it was now just a hollow space with furniture adorning the edges.

Hermione was asked question after question, received curse after curse, yet she remained defiant. He couldn't stop it but he could not watch. So like the coward he was, he closed his eyes. Trying to switch himself off he ignored her screams.

Sudden bangs and curses made him open them. Potter and the weasel had broken free. He could only hope that they would save her now, when he could not.

During the scuffle he saw his chance and rose his arm to cast a curse on his aunt but Potter caught him first. Dracos wand went flying through the air and he went crashing to the ground.

The fight carried on above him but he could not move. Pain washed over him as he tried to get up. His ribs were broken, he could not stand the pain. Slumping back to the ground he felt guilty. He needed to get to her.

Out of the corner of his eye, Draco spotted something hiding behind an old discarded sofa. He had no idea why he was here but he called to him.

"Dobby, I need your help" he pleaded

"Master Draco" he squeaked

"Dobby please"

The elf could not resist.

"Master Draco has always been a friend of Dobby sir, how we would laugh and play. Dobby would be happy to help sir" the elf gazed into his eyes awaiting instruction.

"The chandelier, unscrew it, up there, see?" He pointed to the ceiling "save Hermione"

The elf vanished.

Then it all happened so fast and then without even one more glance, she was gone.


End file.
